Riding the Insurance Train

4 years ago, the King retired from the
school district. Which left him without
health insurance. So we have been
paying cash each time he went to the
doctors. And because of the pharmacy
program that is at the pharmacy we use,
we were able to get his pills at a reduced
amount.

But this year, he decided he was tired of
paying Russian Roulette, by having no
health insurance. So we looked into the
prices, as he didn’t want to lose our home,
if he did end up in the hospital.

We became aware, in our search, (as most of
Idahoan’s have) that we only have one real
choice. The Blue Cross tri-play. Meaning,
Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Regence which
is a child of Blue Shield. So there isn’t any
real competition. Blue Cross must be for
the rich, and Blue Shield is close behind.
The average cost was $700 a month. Meaning
there was a couple cheaper but also a bunch
more. The cheapest we found was $450. Which
we could not afford. That is as much as our house
payment.

After our agent searched high and low in their
sources of the Blue’s, she found a new policy
that became available this year. It is with Regence.
It is called a high-risk insurance. Which was because
the King has high blood pressure and diabetes that
are controlled by pills. This insurance is $365 a
month. And that is with a $10,000 deductible.
Which, when we stretched our budget like a
tight balloon, we could afford.

If he didn’t have a summer job for us to pay for it,
and save for the winter months payments, we could
not afford that one either. And Medicare is 8 years
away for him.

We were totally blown away at the prices of health
insurance. No wonder there are a lot of people with
out. No wonder small business are crying at the yearly
raises. Because without his part time summer job, we
could not afford insurance. Without my small trust fund,
we would not be able to afford health insurance and other
necessarily. And that is with our downsizing already in
place. Remember we gave up a cell phone, went to antenna
for television and have the $10 dial up internet. Dining out
is a luxury even if it is KFC. And if it wasn’t for the kids
treating us to the trip to Hawaii, and everything that went
with it… we would have been still sitting at home.

We, both have lived with less than most as we have grown
thru the years, so we have be able to live with less. But it
sure hurts to do with less, and see where the CEO’s of
many companies get for bonus more than we have ever
seen in our entire lives combined.

Thank goodness, we value our richness in friends, and
family, and each other. For that, we are very rich.